The issues with Build Engine are apparently related to the GPU -- not the Athlon 64. After going from a FX5900 Ultra to a G4Ti4200 and having the same issues, I dropped to a Geforce 3. The results were quite interesting... and there is still quite a bit of lies/deception when it comes to the ingame rate counters!

Without WC: […]
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Without WC:

Blood--

320x200 = 274+ FPS
640x480 = ~40 FPS
800x600 = 3FPS -- lies... the game feels relatively smooth -- not 60+FPS but doesn't feel anywhere near under 30.
1024x768 = 18FPS -- more lies.
1280x1024 = 10FPS ... This resolution actually feels sluggish.
1600x1200 = 10FPS ... Lies again... but there is pretty severe screen tearing.

Duke3D @ 1600 x 1200 = 12FPS -- Lies -- some screen tearing.

With NOLFB VSync version --

Blood
320x200 = 120-192FPS
640x480 = Locked 60 FPS
800x600 = 3 FPS ... Lies, feels identical to locked 60.
1024x768 = Locked 20FPS ... LIES ... actually locked 60.
1280x1024 = 13FPS ... More lies but it feels much less smooth than the other resolutions with substantial tearing.
1600x1200 = Same as 1280x1024.

Duke3D @ 1600x1200 = 11 FPS ... Lies but less smooth with even more tearing than the first test.

With WC (MTRRLFBE or FASTVID) enabled: […]
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With WC (MTRRLFBE or FASTVID) enabled:

Blood
320x200= 274FPS
640x480= ~60FPS
800x600 = 4FPS ... LIES, feels exactly the same as 640x480.
1024x768 = 24FPS ... more lies.. see above.
1280x1024 = 15FPS ... also lies but certain areas where it dips to 7FPS it feels like it is ~15.
1600x1200 = Locked 50 FPS, totally smooth

Duke3D @ 1600 x 1200 = 59/60FPS locked... perfectly smooth.

No tearing in any of these.

Build Engine is some kind of primadonna! I'm hoping one of the VESA FIX utility type programs here (VESA Fix Utility Listing (for old video cards)) can stop the madness and at least get the Geforce 3 w/WC enabled performance on my FX5900 Ultra. If anyone here has had experience with Build Engine games on an FX series card please share your experiences. I don't really know much about these VBE in general, or those utilities.

Hello, I'm having troubles with installing 98 on the 939dual-sata2 motherboard, the Uli integrated driver (ver. 2.20) only install the PCI to AGP and USB 2.0 drivers and the installation program crashes every time... 😢

Does anyone have the unpacked drivers?

Use WinRAR on driver's ".exe", to unpack them.

agent_x007 wrote:

Use WinRAR on driver's ".exe", to unpack them.

Thanks for the tips, initially I use a SATA hard drive and Windows 98SE gave me a lot of yellow "!" in the device manager and was sluggish.

Then I switch to a PATA hard drive and Uli integrated driver (ver. 2.20 & 2.13) can be installed successfully, BUT windows got frozen right after reboot and keyboard/mouse are not working. The only solution is to reinstall windows because the issue persists even in the safe mode...

At the end I found that Windows 98 works fine with PATA hard drive and the only yellow "!" in the device manage is USB device.

There are multiple options you can try.
First off : Disable ALL ports/devices you don't use in BIOS.
Like LTP/COM ports, Sound Card, SATAI/SATAII controller, etc.
See what it does.
Also, Enabling Legacy support for USB MIGHT help as well.

Hello @infiniteclouds sorry for necromancy in a old post, but in plain 2022 I bought a ASRock 939Dual-VSTA and I willing to know your final experience? Did you tamed the beast?

Have you successfully downclocked to run DOS games? Overclocked to run Crysis?

Does the trick - PCIe for XP and AGP for DOS/98 - worked as a charm?

Anxious to hear you. Thanks ♥

I’m using a 939Dual-VSTA as a test machine for PCI, AGP and PCIe cards. Until recently I was using a s939 Athlon 64 X2 4400+ dual booting XP and Win7 32bit with 4GB DDR2. I managed to find the AM2CPU future cpu upgrade board which I flashed with beta firmware to enable Windsor cpus. So now it’s running a s940 Athlon 64 X2 6400+.

Just yesterday I upgrade the ram to 8GB DDR2 and replaced Win7 32bit with 64bit. All is running well so far.

trixster wrote on 2022-04-05, 13:22:

I’m using a 939Dual-VSTA as a test machine for PCI, AGP and PCIe cards. Until recently I was using a s939 Athlon 64 X2 4400+ dual booting XP and Win7 32bit with 4GB DDR2. I managed to find the AM2CPU future cpu upgrade board which I flashed with beta firmware to enable Windsor cpus. So now it’s running a s940 Athlon 64 X2 6400+.

Just yesterday I upgrade the ram to 8GB DDR2 and replaced Win7 32bit with 64bit. All is running well so far.

EDE677D2-6FC8-473A-88F9-F8C907C954CF.jpeg

Do you plan to run this 24/7? My AM2 card lasted about 8 months when run 24/7 then stopped working, even after a cap swap. I suspect some of the original caps shorted out, then killed some of the transistors, which is why the cap swap didn't work. I checked for transistor (mosfet) shorts, but found non in the power-off state. The issue is probably a power on issue, but I didn't feel like continuing to test because of the difficultly testing in the power-on state. My motherboard is cased.

feipoa wrote on 2022-04-05, 23:01:

trixster wrote on 2022-04-05, 13:22:

I’m using a 939Dual-VSTA as a test machine for PCI, AGP and PCIe cards. Until recently I was using a s939 Athlon 64 X2 4400+ dual booting XP and Win7 32bit with 4GB DDR2. I managed to find the AM2CPU future cpu upgrade board which I flashed with beta firmware to enable Windsor cpus. So now it’s running a s940 Athlon 64 X2 6400+.

Just yesterday I upgrade the ram to 8GB DDR2 and replaced Win7 32bit with 64bit. All is running well so far.

EDE677D2-6FC8-473A-88F9-F8C907C954CF.jpeg

Do you plan to run this 24/7? My AM2 card lasted about 8 months when run 24/7 then stopped working, even after a cap swap. I suspect some of the original caps shorted out, then killed some of the transistors, which is why the cap swap didn't work. I checked for transistor (mosfet) shorts, but found non in the power-off state. The issue is probably a power on issue, but I didn't feel like continuing to test because of the difficultly testing in the power-on state. My motherboard is cased.

Damn! Not OP but thanks for the tip! I'll have to think about whether I'll actually trust my AM2card before doing a recap just in case. It still functions but I haven't had the need for it (yet ... )